CHILD CARE PROVIDER ILLNESS GUIDELINES

These guidelines refer to child care providers who come into direct contact with children.

A child care provider and other staff should be excluded from work for the following conditions:

SYMPTOM OR ILLNESS

/ EXCLUSION AND COMMENTS

DIARRHEA

/ 3 or more episodes during past 24 hours, until diarrhea resolves
FLU SYMPTOMS
Fever over 100°F with a cough or sore throat.
Other flu symptoms can include fatigue, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea / Until at least 24 hours after there is no longer a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medicine
RASH / Staff should be excluded if rash occurs with fever or joint pain.
RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS (mild)

stuffy nose with clear drainage, sneezing, mild cough

/ May attend with simple colds. If illness limits staff ability to work and compromises health and safety of children, then exclude.

VOMITING

/ Until vomiting resolves or a health care provider decides it is not contagious. Observe for other signs of illness.

CHICKEN POX

/ Until sores have dried and crusted, usually by 6 days

CONJUNCTIVITIS

Pink color of eye and thick yellow/green discharge / No unless the staff member meets other exclusion criteria.

FIFTH’S DISEASE

/ May attend, no longer contagious once rash illness appears

HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH

/ May attend, If illness limits staff ability to work, then exclude

HEAD LICE AND SCABIES

/ Until after first treatment is completed

HEPATITIS A

/ For 1 week after onset, or as directed by health department

HERPES COLD SORES

/ May attend, if covered and sores are not touched. Staff should not kiss or nuzzle children. Follow hand washing policies.
IMPETIGO (skin infection) / Until treatment has started

PERTUSSIS (whooping cough)

/ Until 5 days after antibiotic therapy

SHINGLES

/ May attend, if covered by a dressing until the sores have crusted

STREP THROAT

/ Until 24 hours after antibiotics and fever freewithout the use of fever-reducing medicineunless explicitly indicated by a medical provider that it is okay for the staff member to return sooner after starting appropriate antibiotics.

References:

  • American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care, Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards, Third Edition, Elk Grove Village, IL 2011
  • Kendrick AS, Kaufman R., Messenger KP, Eds. Healthy Young Children: A Manual for Programs. Washington, D.C. National Association for the Education of Young Children; 2002
  • American Academy of Pediatrics, Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools, 4th Edition, Elk Grove Village, IL 2017.
  • Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Communicable Disease Epidemiology Program, Infectious Disease in Child Care Settings: Guidelines for Schools and Child Care Providers, Denver, CO, March, 2016.

Aurora, CO 303.281.2790

2017